Ryan McGrory

Ryan McGrory is a contemporary painter whose work serves as a bridge between the dramatic intensity of the Baroque and the raw emotionality of Abstract Expressionism. Operating out of Boston, McGrory has become a prominent voice in the New England art scene, known for his signature "Abstract Romanticism."

His work is created using a unique two-staged process that begins with action painting techniques borrowed from the abstract expressionist movement, creating compositions of ambiguous abstract marks. He then makes sense of these abstract compositions, visualizing something new, similar to how a Rorschach inkblot would be interpreted.

A deep, physical engagement with the medium defines his practice. Utilizing heavy impasto and aggressive, gestural strokes, McGrory creates works that feel as much like biological tissue or ancient bedrock as they do traditional paintings. This sculptural approach to the canvas invites viewers to confront the tension between opposing forces: fragility and strength, turbulence and stillness, the hidden and the revealed.